Tips for the AP Psychology Free Response:These are tips for the AP Free Response section of the exam. The most important part for your summer work essay is the “writing the essay” section.
General Information:
You will be required to use pen on exam day
You will have 50 minutes to complete TWO free-response essays (no choice of essay)
Practice, Practice, Practice….use former test questions or exam guide questions to create timed practice sessions. Break down the question, then formulate and write an essay. Score it using the guide and compare the answer to samples provided. Create your own questions based on the format of the practice questions you have available. Break down the question and answer it.
Write as legibly as you can in the time you have. At the end of the test, look through and re-write any particularly messy words.
One essay is usually based on analysis and critique of a research methodology. (ex: find and fix flaws in an experimental design, identify a hypothesis or it major aspects, answer questions about a study, compare research methods)
The second essay is often the application of a particular perspective of psychology (ex: biological, cognitive, psychoanalytic etc.) or will list 5-6 psychological terms/concepts (ex: schema, projection, cognitive mapping, object permanence, etc.) to be defined or applied to an overarching theme or idea.
One of the two essays usually seems to include information from one of the chapters near the end of the book.
Reading (Grading of the Essay):
The process of scoring the exam is called Reading. The readers are high school teachers and college professors. They are typically required to read hundreds of essays.
They first create a rubric by which the essay is graded. This rubric usually identifies 8-12 pieces of information to be addressed within the essay.
The essay portion of the exam will be 33 1/3 % of your final grade on the exam
Each essay will be worth 16 2/3 % of your overall grade or 25 out of 150 Points
(ex: If 10 pieces of information are required then each correct answer would have a multiplier of 2.5= 10x2.5=25. If you correctly answered 7/10 pieces=7x2.5=17.5/25)
Points are given for each correct answer unless directly contradicted within the same point. There are no deductions and you are not scored on style or aesthetics.
Readers scan essays very quickly. They are trained to look for appropriate psychological terminology. If used properly, through definition and/or example, it can demonstrate your knowledge and award you a point.
Breaking Down the Question:
Allocate no more than 30 seconds to FREAKING OUT!
Then allocate 1-2 minutes to break down each question (Do this during your practice sessions as well)
Write notes on the actual test question
Read the entire question then go back and break it down piece by piece
Circle action words (compare, contrast, define, give examples etc.) in the question that identify each aspect of the topic that is to be addressed
Underline critical terms or topics
Optional: CREATE YOUR OWN SCORING GUIDE by estimating the number of pieces of information that will be identified on the Reader’s rubric. Write and number each piece of information as it appears in the test question in an outline form below the actual test question. You may want to draw boxes around the connected concepts that can symbolize paragraphs in your essay.
Writing the Essay:
Do not waste time with a lengthy introduction (or conclusion.) Possibly include an introductory or concluding sentence that does NOT repeat the question. **You do not need an intro. or conclusion.
You may use bullets for each point you are writing about. So, it may not look like the proper essay format! Use complete sentences.
Use the structure of your scoring guide to answer the question addressing each point in an orderly fashion. If structured properly a reader will easily see that all parts of the question have been addressed.
*Each new concept (possible each new point) should have a new paragraph.
*Underline main ideas
If you need to add text in the middle of your response, clearly indicate where the additional text should go. It may be helpful to skip a few lines between each paragraph for this purpose.
Keep it simple. Address and dismiss. Don’t add fluff. Be Concise. Readers want to see your knowledge of the best and most common techniques, methods, theories, etc. Do not waste time explaining unnecessarily complicated concepts unless directly asked to within the question.
*USE PSYCHOLOGICAL TERMS and PROPER NAMES THEORIES, THEORISTS and PSYCHOLOGISTS
Readers like and often expect to see appropriate examples that are clearly relevant to the point being addressed. They should NOT be a hypothetical or personal (from your own life) example. Good
examples will come from this course’s text and the additional articles assigned.
Give yourself approximately 15-20 minutes maximum to actually write the first essay
Then allocate 1-2 minutes to go back to the original scoring guide that you created. Use it as a checklist to be sure you addressed all the points.
Use any remaining time after completing both essays to put the finishing touches on your essay. Examine word choice, spelling, examples, and terminology. Make sure it looks good. The better it looks the more positive the reader is likely to regard it.
What NOT to do:
DO NOT PANIC!!!!!!! If you are clueless about part of the essay, do your best to write something. You may be surprised, you may actually hit on what the rubric was asking for and if not, you will not be penalized for trying. Missing one point will not ruin your score, losing focus through panic could ruin your score.
Do not begin writing until you have fully read the question, created a scoring rubric outline, and have clue about what you are supposed to be writing.
Do not write an outline as your essay. Readers are not allowed to give any points for an essay written as an outline. Write your essay in sentences and paragraphs.
Do not go overboard in the opposite direction either…do not write EVERYTHING you know. Stay focused on the question.
When asked to define a word do not use the actual word in its definition
Do not restate the question in your essay
Do not describe a feeling or cognitive process when asked to describe a behavior. Behaviors are observable.
When asked to provide a description, do not give a simple description. Provide a complete explanation
Do not make vague statements like “the subject would feel bad” especially when discussing ethical concerns in research
Do not suggest anything that could be misconstrued as unethical
THE BEST WAY TO STUDY FOR THE FREE RESPONSE PORTION OF THE EXAM IS TO PRACTICE, PRACTICE, AND PRACTICE!!!!!!!! (We will be doing this all year.)
Assignments
Interactive follow-up
lecture on
History of Psychology
Read Chapter 1
http://www.literacynet.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
3 essay questions
Chapter 2
http://www.learner.org/series/discoveringpsychology/02/e02expand.html
Chapter 2
Lecture
Neuron Quiz (B)
http://www.learner.org/vod/vod_window.html?pid=1525
Neuron Quiz (A)
Lecture on the Neuron
http://www.learner.org/vod/vod_window.html?pid=1526
http://video.ted.com/talk/podcast/2008/None/ChristopherdeCharms_2008-480p.mp4
The story of Phineas Gage:http://www.learner.org/vod/vod_window.html?pid=1592
Allan Jones the map of the brain
http://www.ted.com/talks/allan_jones_a_map_of_the_brain#t-75310
http://www.learner.org/vod/vod_window.html?pid=1573
Read 117 - 147 vision
http://www.learner.org/vod/vod_window.html?pid=1577
http://www.learner.org/vod/vod_window.html?pid=1510
http://www.learner.org/vod/vod_window.html?pid=1511
General Information:
Reading (Grading of the Essay):
- The process of scoring the exam is called Reading. The readers are high school teachers and college professors. They are typically required to read hundreds of essays.
- They first create a rubric by which the essay is graded. This rubric usually identifies 8-12 pieces of information to be addressed within the essay.
- The essay portion of the exam will be 33 1/3 % of your final grade on the exam
- Each essay will be worth 16 2/3 % of your overall grade or 25 out of 150 Points
(ex: If 10 pieces of information are required then each correct answer would have a multiplier of 2.5= 10x2.5=25. If you correctly answered 7/10 pieces=7x2.5=17.5/25)Breaking Down the Question:
Writing the Essay:
- Do not waste time with a lengthy introduction (or conclusion.) Possibly include an introductory or concluding sentence that does NOT repeat the question. **You do not need an intro. or conclusion.
- You may use bullets for each point you are writing about. So, it may not look like the proper essay format! Use complete sentences.
- Use the structure of your scoring guide to answer the question addressing each point in an orderly fashion. If structured properly a reader will easily see that all parts of the question have been addressed.
- *Each new concept (possible each new point) should have a new paragraph.
- *Underline main ideas
- If you need to add text in the middle of your response, clearly indicate where the additional text should go. It may be helpful to skip a few lines between each paragraph for this purpose.
- Keep it simple. Address and dismiss. Don’t add fluff. Be Concise. Readers want to see your knowledge of the best and most common techniques, methods, theories, etc. Do not waste time explaining unnecessarily complicated concepts unless directly asked to within the question.
- *USE PSYCHOLOGICAL TERMS and PROPER NAMES THEORIES, THEORISTS and PSYCHOLOGISTS
Readers like and often expect to see appropriate examples that are clearly relevant to the point being addressed. They should NOT be a hypothetical or personal (from your own life) example. GoodWhat NOT to do:
THE BEST WAY TO STUDY FOR THE FREE RESPONSE PORTION OF THE EXAM IS TO PRACTICE, PRACTICE, AND PRACTICE!!!!!!!! (We will be doing this all year.)